Data carriers comprising a carrier card and a minichip card, which is embedded in the latter and has an integrated circuit, are used, for example, as phone cards, health insurance cards, as identification and access authorization cards for mobile radio systems, such as for example GSM telephones, or as credit or cash cards. In GSM telephones, for example, two types of so-called GSM cards can be used. For a first mobile phone system, use is made of a card the size of a credit card (full-size card), the dimensions of which (85.times.54 mm) correspond to the dimensions of the carrier card. Customary for a second type of mobile phone system are smaller cards (plug-in modules) which, when comprised as minichip cards with the usual dimensions of 25.times.15 mm, can be inserted into the mobile phones. The integrated circuits (chips) securely mounted on both types of cards typically have the same dimensions and electronic functions. In order that both mobile phone systems can be used with the aid of a single card, it is known to connect the minichip card detachably to a recess in the carrier card provided for that purpose. For example, the minichip card may be held by means of a form fit in a pocket-like receptacle of a carrier card. See DE 44 19 973 A1. DE 295 04 946 U1 discloses a carrier card which has in the region of a recess provided for the minichip card a layer of adhesive tape, so that, on the one hand, the minichip card is adhesively bonded to the carrier card for use in one of the mobile phone systems. On the other hand, by removing the minichip card from the carrier card, the minichip card can be used in the other mobile phone system. To produce the above-mentioned data carriers, it is usual to produce the carrier card on the one hand in two separate method steps, by two injection-molding steps, for example, and thereafter to connect them to each other by a form fit or by adhesion.
EP 0 195 216 B1 discloses a data carrier in which there are punched clearances and a straight notch, with the minichip card being easy to remove from the carrier card by swinging it about a hinge-like notch.